Dynamics of neuronal activity in the posterior hypothalamus during alternating phases of the sleep-wake cycle

The dynamics of neuronal activity in the posterior hypothalamus in different phases of the sleep-wake cycle were investigated during experiments on free-ranging cats. The highest frequency discharges were found to occur in 89.3% of neurons belonging to this region during the stages of active wakefulness and emotionally influenced paradoxical sleep. These neurons become less active during restful wakefulness and the unemotional stage of paradoxical sleep; this reduced activity can be most clearly observed in the context of slow-wave sleep. It was found that 7.1% of test neurons discharged at the highest rate during the stage of active wakefulness. They did not achieve an activity level characteristic of active wakefulness during the period of paradoxical sleep, although activity level was higher than during other states. Only 3.6% of neurons followed the opposite pattern, with discharges succeeding more frequently in slow-wave sleep and activity reduced to an equal degree during wakefulness and paradoxical sleep. The neurophysiological mechanisms governing the sleep-wake cycle and how the posterior hypothalamus contributes to these mechanisms are discussed.I. S. Beritashvili Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of Georgian SSR, Tbilisi. Translated from Neirofiziologiya, Vol. 20, No. 2, pp. 160–167, March–April, 1988.     

牵拉左心房和夹闭颈总动脉对猫下丘脑前部...

The effects of left atrial stretch (AS) and carotid occlusion (CO) on the single unit activity of anterior and posterior hypothalamus (AH and PH) were investigated in 40 urethan-chloralose-anesthetized cats. A total of 185 units with spontaneous discharge were recorded. 46.3% (44/95) of the neurons in AH and 23.3% (21/90) of those in PH were responsive to AS. Majority of the neurons affected by AS exhibited a decrease in firing rate. A few units only showed transient response during the onset and release of AS (on-off response). Out of the 185 units, 85 units were tested by both AS and CO, and 15 units (17.6%) were responsive to both interventions. Among them 11 (73.7%) were inhibited by AS and excited by CO. From the results mentioned above, it is suggested that: (1) AS may exert an inhibitory effect on the activity of neurons in AH. (2) The activity of neurons in PH may be also affected by AS. (3) The inputs from the atrial volume receptor and carotid baroreceptor converge on the same neuron of the hypothalamus.     

Effect of phosphatidylcholine on the body temperature and activity of posterior hypothalamus neurons in animals

The experiments on rats and rabbits have shown that exogenous phosphatidyl choline (PC) was capable of altering the body temperature and bioelectrical activity of posterior hypothalamus neurons following intravenous and intracerebroventricular administration. Intracerebroventricular PC was more effective in raising the body temperature of rats. The experiments on rabbits have demonstrated that the influence of PC (intravenous administration) on the body temperature depended on the initial body temperature. In rabbits, the changes in the impulse activity of certain non-thermosensitive posterior hypothalamus neurons induced by intracerebroventricular PC administration were found to be dependent on the initial firing rates. PC inhibited the increase in bioelectrical activity of thermosensitive neurons in posterior hypothalamus caused by the rise in the brain temperature secondary to body temperature elevation.     

Effect of arecoline on neuronal activity in the posterior hypothalamus of rabbits with experimental fever

It has been found in experiments on unanesthetized rabbits that arecoline administered to the lateral ventricle of the brain produced an action which was opposite to that of leukocytic pyrogen. It inhibited the activity of individual neurons of the posterior hypothalamus and decreased the body temperature, with this decrease being attended by the signs of intensified heat emission. Arecoline injection coupled with the central action of PGE2 was followed by an increase in the neuronal activity in the posterior hypothalamus and reduction of hyperthermal response.     

Unit activity of the posterior hypothalamus during brain and skin temperature changes in unanesthetized rabbits

Changes in the firing rate of posterior hypothalmic neurons in response to local elevation of the brain temperature by 0.6–1.5°C and to a rise and fall (separately and simultaneously) of the skin temperature by 3–5°C were investigated in unanesthetized rabbits. Neurons responding selectively to changes in brain temperature and skin temperature and neurons responding to both temperature stimuli were found in the posterior hypothalamus. During combined stimulation the unit activity was changed much more than in response stimulus. It is concluded that the region of the posterior hypothalamus participates in the integration of impulses from central and peripheral temperature receptors.I. P. Pavlov Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Leningrad. Translated from Neirofiziologiya, Vol. 5, No. 5, pp. 490–496, September–October, 1973.     

Immunohistochemistry of endogenous l-DOPA in the rat posterior hypothalamus

Summary The aim of this work was to study l-DOPA-containing neuronal structures of the rat posterior and dorsal hypothalamus by means of immunohistochemistry using antiserum against glutaraldehyde conjugated l-DOPA. Aspects and distribution of l-DOPA immunoreaction among cells of the supramammillary nucleus and the A11, A13c and A13 cell groups are described and compared to dopamine immunoreactivity, mainly through a double colored labelling procedure employing a color modification of the DAB reaction by metallic ions. Differences between l-DOPA and dopamine stainings within cell groups as the presence of cells with predominant or exclusive l-DOPA coloration are tentatively explained under the light of previous findings using immunohistochemistry of catecholamines synthesizing enzymes and catecholamines histofluorescence.     

Immunohistochemistry of endogenous L-DOPA in the rat posterior hypothalamus

The aim of this work was to study L-DOPA-containing neuronal structures of the rat posterior and dorsal hypothalamus by means of immunohistochemistry using antiserum against glutaraldehyde conjugated L-DOPA. Aspects and distribution of L-DOPA immunoreaction among cells of the supramammillary nucleus and the A11, A13c and A13 cell groups are described and compared to dopamine immunoreactivity, mainly through a double colored labelling procedure employing a color modification of the DAB reaction by metallic ions. Differences between L-DOPA and dopamine stainings within cell groups as the presence of cells with predominant or exclusive L-DOPA coloration are tentatively explained under the light of previous findings using immunohistochemistry of catecholamines synthesizing enzymes and catecholamines histofluorescence.     

Leucine deprivation stimulates fat loss via increasing CRH expression in the hypothalamus and activating the sympathetic nervous system

We previously showed that leucine deprivation decreases abdominal fat mass largely by increasing energy expenditure, as demonstrated by increased lipolysis in white adipose tissue (WAT) and uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) expression in brown adipose tissue (BAT). The goal of the present study was to investigate the possible involvement of central nervous system (CNS) in this regulation and elucidate underlying molecular mechanisms. For this purpose, levels of genes and proteins related to lipolysis in WAT and UCP1 expression in BAT were analyzed in wild-type mice after intracerebroventricular administration of leucine or corticotrophin-releasing hormone antibodies, or in mice deleted for three β-adrenergic receptors, after being maintained on a leucine-deficient diet for 7 d. Here, we show that intracerebroventricular administration of leucine significantly attenuates abdominal fat loss and blocks activation of hormone sensitive lipase in WAT and induction of UCP1 in BAT in leucine-deprived mice. Furthermore, we provide evidence that leucine deprivation stimulates fat loss by increasing expression of corticotrophin-releasing hormone in the hypothalamus via activation of stimulatory G protein/cAMP/protein kinase A/cAMP response element-binding protein pathway. Finally, we show that the effect of leucine deprivation on fat loss is mediated by activation of the sympathetic nervous system. These results suggest that CNS plays an important role in regulating fat loss under leucine deprivation and thereby provide novel and important insights concerning the importance of CNS leucine in the regulation of energy homeostasis.     

The role of adrenergic structures of the posterior hypothalamus in the regulation of the blood coagulation system functions

Under conditions of chronic experiment, the stimulation of alpha- and beta-adrenergic structures of the posterior hypothalamus was performed. The same procedure was repeated after inactivation of these structures. The results of experiments have shown a specificity of the influence of alpha- and beta- adrenergic structures upon the separate blood coagulation phases and the heterogeneity of those structures distribution in the posterior hypothalamic region.     

Participation of the hypothalamus in the pituitary and testicular responses to administration of the antiandrogen 4-nitro-3-trifluoro-methylisobutyranilide]

The effect of the antiandrogen 4-nitro-3-trifluoro-methylisobutyranilide (flutamide, NFBA) on the content of follitropine, lutropine and testosteron in the blood plasma as well as on the testicular activity of the steroid delta 5-3 beta-Ol-dehydrogenase (SD) has been studied in male rats with intact and destroyed hypothalamic median eminence. In sham-operated rats with intact hypothalamus the levels of lutropin, follitropin, testosteron and the enzymatic activity were 5, 2, 4 and 3-4 times as increased, respectively, under the effect of NFBA. After destroyal of the hypothalamic median eminence NFBA treatment did not change follitropin secretion, while lutropin, testosteron plasma levels and SD activity were only 1 1/2-2 times higher, i.e. significantly less as compared to those in sham-operated animals. The data obtained suggest the most important role of the hypothalamus in pituitary and testicular responses to NFBA administration.